Events celebrating 50 years of coeducation are being planned for 2019-20.
Aside from its founding, the most pivotal moment in Kenyon’s history is the opening of its doors to women. A yearlong celebration of the 50th anniversary of this change begins in September.
“The College's decision to admit women announced its realization that diversity in this small community would become more and more necessary to the quality of education and experience provided to its students,” noted Buffy Ireland Hallinan ’76 H’91, chair of the celebration’s planning committee.
Julie Miller Vick ’73 P’12 H’97, a volunteer for the planning effort and a member of Kenyon’s first class of women graduates, explained, “Not everyone is aware that Kenyon was a men’s college for its first 145 years. The decision to admit women seems now like a natural progression of things, but, at the time, it was a huge decision for every college that did so, including Kenyon.”
Change can be difficult — a truth felt by the College’s pioneering female students. “Those early years held challenges for Kenyon’s new female students, as well as for the men and the faculty,” Vick said. “Many male students were openly angry that we were there, and a few professors let it be known that they never expected they would ‘have to teach girls.’
However, we women from the early classes persisted and took advantage of the riches Kenyon offered — and we broke barriers. Now, as many Americans examine privilege, racism and sexism, looking back over the past 50 years gives us food for thought on Kenyon’s trajectory.”
Focus groups of alumnae of all generations, held across the country in recent years, gathered memories of experiences during this pivotal era. The anniversary kicks off with a weekend of events on campus, Sept. 13-14, 2019, exploring and celebrating these memories. The weekend’s events include performances, panels, exhibits, gatherings and more. Additional efforts tied to the anniversary include yearlong themed curricular and extracurricular programming, Gund Gallery and Kenyon Review programming, and philanthropy efforts. And alumni can now join the new Women’s Professional Network alumni, hosted by the Kenyon Career Network, at kcn.kenyon.edu.